Cursed
by True.Royal.Chaos
Summary: "Dad calls it a curse. Says nothing good ever happens for Dixons because we're unlucky. Dixons always received the short end of the stick and have to work hard to get anything good in life. But, I don't know if that's true because I met you and so far life seems pretty damn good." -Elijah Dixon
1. Chapter 1

The day was hot, but in Drewberry, Georgia it always was. The summers were hotter than hell, the winters were harsher than the devil, falls brought bad winds, while spring brings heavy rainfall. Every season has their tough weather. Today it was already a hundred degrees out and it isn't even ten o'clock yet. By the time noon comes, Eli knows it'll be around hundred and ten and Eli is not looking forward to it.

Eli Dixon got lucky, while his cousin is back in the death trap that is their workplace, roasting inside the stuffy garage, Eli got to go to the diner to pick up breakfast for them all. He can already hear his cousin bitching about the heat. The garage has windows and they always keep the shutters open on hot days like today, but the garage heated up quickly and the wind never seems to get inside the garage no matter how many windows they had open. Eli was not looking forward to being in there at noon.

He's driving slow to prevent going back their any time soon. Driving down the hot paved road he sees a car sitting on the side of the road, a woman looking at it as if staring at it would make it work. Eli bites his lip, unable to drive by. He was raised to never raise a hand to a woman or child and to always be a gentleman to women. She looks like she could use help and it wasn't in Eli's nature to just drive by.

He pulls the truck over and kills the engine. He hops out and heads for the woman. "Problem?" He asks, causing the woman to turn to look at him. The woman was gorgeous. Big blue eyes that resembled the sky, dark auburn curls that ran wild, soft pale skin. She was simple and the simpleness of her made her gorgeous. She wasn't overly thin like some girls in Drewberry or overly heavy, she was average weight. She didn't have huge boobs or dressed to make it look like she did, but they weren't tiny either. She has the most average body, but it's the way she carries herself that makes her beautiful. She looked like the type that seen shit and refuses to let it bother her. She looked to be around Eli's dad's age.

"Oh, uh..." The woman looks over at the car with a look of pure frustration. "It just broke down. I don't know what's wrong with it or..."

"How about I take a look?"

"Oh, I don't want to bother you." Eli laughs and shakes his head.

"Trust me, you ain't-a bother. In fact, the longer I take here the longer it'll take before I have to get back to work."

"Hold old are you?" Eli looks over and raises an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"You look too young to not be in school." Eli grins at her.

"Graduated last year. I'm nineteen."

"Oh." Eli pops her hood and smoke billows out. Eli coughs, swatting the smoke away. "That doesn't seem good."

"No, it doesn't." Eli agrees before stepping back. "When was the last time you got this car checked over?" The woman frowns and looks at the car in anger as if the car was a person to be scolded.

"My ex-husband was supposed to have it done... Guess it's yet another thing he didn't do for me." Eli glances over at her and bites his thumb.

"Why don't I call my cousin, he'll get this towed and I can take a look at it back at the shop."

"You're a mechanic?"

"Mhm. My dad owns a shop with his brother. Worked there since I was thirteen."

"Wow, that's young." Eli shrugs.

"Uncle Merle says if I'm old enough to jerk off I'm old enough to fix a car." Her face burns red as Eli looks under the hood, missing her shocked glance. "I'm Eli by the way."

"Carol."

"You new here or something?" He turns and looks at her. "Small town, everybody knows everybody and I ain't ever seen you before."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm new." She nods. "Moved here only last week."

"Drewberry's a good town. Like any other small country town. Filled with good and bad folks, all of them loving gossip more than life. Half the kids that graduate try to escape the others stay and live their entire lives here just like their parents."

"Which are you?" Eli turns and looks at her.

"The ones who stayed. I got better shit to do then go off wandering a world where people won't give you shit. At least here I got my family to look out for me until I can get my own place and my own life." Eli turns back to the car. "You're car's shot to shit. Gotta check it over at the shop and see what I can do to fix it, but just from first glance there's a lot of broken shit here."

"Wonderful. Nothing ever can go right." Eli snorts as he turns to her.

"Sounds like my dad." Eli smiles. "Always bitching." She gave him a look, but he ignored it. "I'll fix this up in no time. You got the best mechanics working on it now. There ain't nothing a Dixon can't fix."

"Have you lived in Drewberry all your life?"

"Yup. Generation of generation of Dixons lived here."

"They never wanted to leave?"

"Sure some did, but if they did then it's always to the military. The Dixon men have always been military folk. My uncle served ten years in the military before coming back here to raise my dad."

"What about your dad?"

"Before he could sign up the woman who birthed me got pregnant. Had to stay to raise me."

"You don't call her your mom?" Eli frowns and shakes his head.

"The way I see it, she only was the carrier. Once I was born she was out of the picture and my dad raised me on his own."

"Must have been hard."

"Dixons have always had a hard time. We just suck it up and deal with the cards dealt to us."

"You sure you're nineteen? You sound a hell of a lot smarter." Eli grins and closes the hood of her car.

"Got it from my dad. Grew up fast. All us Dixons have. So, tell me, where are you from?"

"Skyvalley."

"That's on the other side of the state. Why move so far?" Eli asks.

"Fresh start." Eli hums in response.

"Let me call my dad and have him send Dean over to tow your car. Bet he'd be glad to get out of the toast oven of a garage." The woman smiles.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem, Carol."


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl has his head buried in paperwork when the phone started blaring. "What?" He barked into the phone, his eyes scanning the papers in front of him.

"Hey, dad, you think you could send Dean with the tow truck on Billow Street." Daryl frowns and looks away from his paperwork.

"What happened?"

"Stumbled upon a damsel in distress. Need the tow truck. You mind?" Daryl runs a hand through his hair and sighs.

"Nah, I'll send Merle."

"Oh come on, dad, don't torture Dean. He wants out of that oven as much as I did."

"Which is why I'm sending Merle. That kid is on probation, some time in this sauna could do him some good."

"You're cruel."

"I'm sending Merle."

"You are a heartless cruel-"

"Bye, Elijah." Daryl hung up and pushes his chair back from the desk. He makes his way out of the office walks the catwalk that hangs above the garage where Dean and Merle are working. "Merle!" He yells down, causing father and son to lift their heads. "I said Merle, Dean." Daryl says with a raised eyebrow. The two looked just alike. Nobody would mistake Dean and Merle from looking alike. They both had the frosty blue eyes, but Dean's hair fell to his shoulder and it was thick, while Merle keeps his hair very short. They were both burly and tall. They were quiet intimidating.

"What you need, Darylina?" Merle yells up, causing Daryl to shoot a glare at him.

"Eli needs the tow truck. Something about a woman having car trouble. Needs to bring it back to the shop."

"I'll go!" Dean jumps up, but a look from both Daryl and Merle has him sitting back down.

"The hell you are. That wasn't just a vacation you took, kid, you sit your ass right here and work." Merle snaps.

"Hipocrit."

"You watch your fucken mouth, boy." Merle snaps. "I don't give a fuck what you think. I fucked up, I know, but I did my time and I served my country, so you best watch that fucken mouth of yours."

Dean's eyes fell and he nods stiffly. "Sorry." Merle sighs and ruffles his hair.

"Don't make my mistakes boy. You and Eli might think it's fun to redo every memory we did at the ages you are, but don't forget how many mistakes we both made. Don't copy us." Dean nods and Merle gave his shoulder a squeeze before looking up at Daryl. "Throw the keys down." Daryl drops the keys and Merle caught them before heading to the tow truck. "You remember what I said?" Dean nods. "Good then listen for once." Merle hops into the truck, starts it up and pulls out.

"Was she hot?" Dean suddenly asks.

"How the hell should I know?" Daryl snaps.

"How old was she? Dad says I have an age limit."

"You did bring a fifty-year-old home. You do realize that's older than your dad right?"

"Dad's forty-seven, close enough."

"You're sick." Daryl says with a shake of his head before heading towards the office.

"Hey, how'd you it wasn't for my dad?"

"What you fucken a woman who could be your mother?"

"No the woman. How'd you know the woman wasn't for dad?"

"Because you were balls deep in the bitch." Dean grins.

"Oh, right." Daryl shakes his head before walking into the office and getting back to his paperwork.

Out of all of the kids, Dean's the most difficult one. Eli kept his nose clean. He stayed out of trouble and went about his work. He had a temper and he did lose his cool plenty of time, but he has yet to go to jail, which in this family means a lot. Dean's baby brother, Colton, is only ten and already he's following in his big brother's shoes. Merle was going to have just as much of problem with Colton as he is with Dean. It's Dean's third time getting out jail. He served two years this time for assaulting one of the brothers of the kids at Colton's school. Colton didn't have many friends at school and some idiot kids got their brothers to beat Colton up. Luckily Dean was there, but he went overboard. One kid got a broken arm, while the other has a severe concussion. Dean has a temper that could resemble that of Daryl's and Merle's father, but he has a heart of gold, which makes Daryl hopeful that Dean will never be like Will Dixon.

"Hey, Uncle Daryl?" Daryl lifts his head and turns to see Dean walking up the steps and heading for the office.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"It's the last day of school for Colt, you think I can surprise him and pick him up early?"

"Dean, you're banded from school. If you set foot on school property you'll be arrested." Dean had gotten out yesterday, but Colton had spent the night over his mom's house, so Dean has yet to see his brother.

"Okay, then can you pick him up and bring him here so I can surprise him?"

"Dean, I'm working and so should you."

"I haven't seen my baby brother in months." Daryl raises an eyebrow. "Liz stopped letting me see him. Stupid bitch." Dean grumbles.

"Look, kid, I really don't have time. Since you've been gone we got a lot more work and I'm behind on paperwork and..."

"Why don't you just hire someone to do that. A secretary?" Dean sighs and leans against the cool wall. "Or do you just like to spend all day in this ac room. Shit, it's freezing in here, but it feels so fucken nice." Dean groans.

"Maybe both."

"Both?"

"Like the ac, but hate the paperwork."

"Just hire someone, Uncle Daryl. It'll be way easier. You can work on cars and they'll work on paperwork and answering calls. Hell, they'll probably even deal with shipments and all that management crap."

"No one really wants to work here now since you pulled that shit at school." Daryl tells him.

"Is that why only Jesus and T are here?"

"Yup. Everyone else bales just when summer hit too." Daryl sighs and throws his pen down. "The motorcycle show is next weekend and the monster truck jam is in two weeks. Then you have the car show. There's so much shit coming up and we're the only mechanic shop in town, so of course, we're going to be busy."

"Okay, well, maybe the pussy Eli's bringing in will be smart enough to be hired."

"Dean-"

"What? That's how you hired T and Jesus. They walked in and was hired on the spot."

"Just get back to work, kid. I'm wasting time talking to you, while I should be working, like you should be." Dean pouts.

"Five more minutes?"

"Are you hear just for the ac?"

"Maybe."

"Get out."

"But Uncle-"

"Go, boy, before you dad gets back and sees you did nothing, while he was gone." Dean groans, the dramatic kind that has him throwing his head back and his throat vibrating for it.

"I hate you." Daryl could practically see the goosebumps on Dean's arms turn to sweat the second he walked out of the room. Daryl chuckles and Dean groans again.

"It's like two hundred degrees out here. Fuck this." Dean rips his shirt over his head, throwing it below and stomping down the stares. Daryl laughs and picks his pen up.

"Idiot." Daryl chuckles before getting back to his paperwork. Daryl did miss him though. They all did.


	3. Chapter 3

Carol jumps out of Eli's truck and takes a look around the garage. The place was huge. The garage had so many cars inside, but Carol only saw one person walking. A man with no shirt and sweat practically drowning him. There's a flight of stairs to the right of the doorway that leads up to a catwalk that wraps around the place. Up there was what looked to be an office, break room, and some bathrooms. The garage itself was as big as a mansion. Most of it was open with tools everywhere and music blaring inside. It was boiling in here, but it had a nice atmosphere.

"Welcome to the Dirty Dixons." Merle says, causing Carol to look at him shocked.

"That's not the name. It's what Uncle Merle wanted, but dad won." Eli says. "It's called Dixon Auto Shop, nothing fancy, but we're well known." Eli smiles. "My uncle will get your car looked over. I'll bring you to talk to my dad. Plus the office is so much cooler." Eli tells her as he leads up the stairs.

Carol could feel the cold air coming from the office almost the second she got on the catwalk. "Wow." Eli nods in agreement. They walk into the office and Carol is hit with the icy air that practically froze the sweat on her body. A man sits by a desk, leaning over, scanning papers. He looks a lot like Eli. Both have the same brown hair, short enough to not get in the way, but long enough to have bangs sometimes in their eyes except that this man had his hair spiked up, more than likely from the sweat. Eli's hair was beginning to have the same effect.

"Hey, dad." Eli hops onto the desk and kicks his feet back and forth. "Brought the damsel to talk to you."

"Eli, come on, I'm busy." Eli rolls his eyes and looks at Carol.

"When he's really focused he doesn't even hear what you say, just your voice." Eli hops off the desk. "To get his attention you just have to snap him out of his focus." Eli smiles, but the smile he gave Carol spelled nothing, but trouble. He turned his father's chair and forced him out of it. His father didn't expect the sudden move and stumbles towards Carol, almost knocking right into her if he hadn't caught himself.

Carol stares wide-eyed up at the man, his amazing blue eyes staring into hers. Heat fills the man's cheeks at how close he is to her. "Opps." Eli grins from behind his father. Daryl clears his throat and takes a step back, obviously embarrassed as much as Carol was. "Sorry." Daryl shot daggers at his son.

"Did you need something, Elijah?" His voice held a warning that made Eli's grin slips from his face. He was in trouble.

"Yeah, Carol here had some car trouble and I figured you should talk to her about it." Daryl huffs and runs a hand through his hair.

"Go make sure your cousin is working."

"Got it." Eli says, quick to get out of there. "Good luck." He whispers as he rushes off.

"What did you need?" Daryl asks, sitting back down in his seat.

"Oh, um..." Carol suddenly felt uncertain. She didn't know this man and even though Eli said they could work something out she suddenly wasn't too sure. She had just moved to a new town and was a single parent with no job. She wouldn't be able to pay them to fix her car. "My car, it's pretty bad." She suddenly says, motioning back towards the garage. Daryl raises an eyebrow, obviously getting that it's bad if it had to be towed. "And well..." Carol wrung her hands nervously. "I just moved here and I really..." She swallows the lump in her throat. "Well, the fact of the matter is I really don't have the money to fix it." She rushes out. Daryl stares at her for a long moment before looking at the papers on his desk.

"What's your past experience?"

"What?" Carol asks, looking at him confused.

"Past experience, have you worked before?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Before my daughter was born I worked at a law company as a secretary." She says, causing Daryl to eye her over.

"How old's your daughter?"

"Sixteen." Daryl glances over at the papers again, while Carol naws on her lip.

"Single parent?" He questions.

"What?"

"You said you just moved here and don't have a job, which implies you don't have anyone else that would work to help pay for your car to be fixed. You didn't mention a husband or anything."

"Divorce." She tells him. Daryl bites his thumb as he looks at her.

"You'd need your car no doubt. Around here the weather is always hot. You'd pass out before you could walk where you needed to go." Carol's face flushes with color.

"Yes, that's true." She feels so embarrassed. Only a week on her own with her daughter and she couldn't even afford to fix her car.

"My son tell you I would cut a deal with you?" Her cheeks flowed with more color.

"He said you'd be willing to..." Daryl shakes his head and stands up.

"That's Eli for you. Refuses to turn people away." He stares out the window of the office, looking down at the garage where Eli and Dean were roughhousing.

Carol clears her throat. "Does this mean you won't. If not then that's fine. I'm sure I'll manage-"

"I didn't say that." Daryl says as he looks over at her. "I'll cut you a deal." Carol raises an eyebrow. "It's the summer and this place gets very busy in the summer with all the different things happening in our town. Our town is well known for our car shows, monster truck jams, motorcycle shows, that sort of thing. This place is the only mechanic shop around and it's always swarming with work around this time." Daryl motions to the paperwork on his desk. "I'm behind my work as it is up here, nevermind down there. I don't have time to work on cars and manage this place." Carol was beginning to understand now.

"You want me to..."

"I'll fix your car, for free, if you work for me."

"What'd I have to do?"

"Paperwork, filling out shipment orders, answering phones, helping customers with their payments once their cars are fixed. That sort of thing."

"And you'll fix my car. For free."

"Won't be taken out of your check."

"I get paid?" Daryl raises an eyebrow.

"Of course. You'll be working for me, not volunteering."

"But I figured the money would go to my car-"

"No, I told you, I'll fix it for free. I just need help badly. There's only six people that work here, all of them filled with work to do. No one has time to manage this place and fix cars. you job will be to do everything that isn't fixing the cars."

"Okay."

"Okay?" She nods.

"Yes, I need the job and I need my car fixed."

"A win-win." She nods in agreement. "Good. You think you can start now?" She shrugs.

"Sure."

"Good." He sighs and pushes away from the desk. "I was about going cross-eyed." She laughs, causing him to shoot her a grin.

"Goddamn it, Elianna!" Carol raises an eyebrow.

"You'll get used to them."


	4. Chapter 4

Carol sits in the cool office doing the paperwork. Daryl had shown her what needed to be done and how to do it. She got the hang of it rather quickly. She's been working for her hours and her eyes were getting a bit crosseyed like Daryl had warned her. the Dixons were a rather strange bunch. Daryl was quiet and mostly kept to himself. Eli was a lot like Daryl, but he was much more open and friendly towards Carol. He had come in quite a few times to just hang out and talk with her. He was a nice kid. Merle was a whole other story. Merle had no filter. He said whatever he wanted and most of the time it was racist, sexist, or sexual. Carol learned quick that it was just his sense of humor, but she had never been around a man who spoke so freely and so dirty. It almost made her want to take a shower everytime she talked to him. She had yet to meet his son. She saw him when she was coming into the shop, but from what Eli told her, Dean isn't allowed to take breaks. She feels bad for the boy because she'd look out once in awhile and see the boy sweating and cursing down there. She had thought he was much older than he was when she came in, but Eli had told her that Dean was only twenty-one, a dangerous age for a boy. At that age, they are free to drink and a lot of time they found trouble real fast.

Carol had finished only half of the paperwork that was left when her phone rang. She picked it up and answered almost mechanically, she's been answering calls all day too. "Hello?"

"Hey, so, I've been home since two and it's now it's almost eight at night now. I know you said you were going shopping and job hunting, but you left the house over eleven hours ago." Carol's eyes snap to her watch and her eyes grew wide.

"I didn't even realize it was that late."

"What have you been up to all day?"

"Long story short the car broke down and it got me a job."

"What?" Sophia sounded so confused. "Please tell me you didn't sell your body to get the old junker fixed." Carol's jaw drops in shock.

"What? Sophia!"

"What? You said it got you a job. Did you fuck the sexy mechanic?" Carol had no idea what to say at the moment. Her daughter was surely joking. The sound of someone clearing their throat had her turning and looking over at the doorway. Daryl stood there and Carol lowered the phone.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. Just came to tell you that I'm closing up. Do you need a ride home?" He asks. He sounded nervous, which was strange because he had no reason to be nervous. He was offering her a ride home not asking her out on a date. Carol shrugged it off and looks at him.

"Uh, sure, that'd be great."

"Let me just finish up downstairs and we'll get going. That can wait until tomorrow." Carol nods and watches Daryl walk out.

"Mom?"

"Sorry, honey, just talking to, uh, my boss."

"Explain." Carol sighs and puts the pen down. She stood up and grabbed her purse that she left on the floor beside her chair.

"My car broke down and this boy stopped by and offered his help. He got the car towed back and promised to fix it. His dad owns this mechanic shop with his brother."

"You can't offered to get your car fixed."

"Which is why the man offered me a job. Said if I worked he'd fix the car."

"Ah, so you agreed to work for him if he fixed your car."

"Yes."

"Is it nice there?"

"Yeah."

"Are they nice?"

"Yeah."

"Is he hot?"

"Ye-" Carol catches herself and finds her daughter laughing. "It's not nice to make fun of a tired woman."

"It so is." Sophia says, causing Carol to roll her eyes. "So, how are you getting home?"

"He's driving me."

"Oh, is he?" Carol rolls her eyes and shuts the lights off before heading down the stairs.

"Have to go, Soph."

"Tell my new daddy hi." Carol huffs and hangs up, throwing her phone into her purse.

Daryl rounded the corner and looks over at her. His eyes move over her body, causing heat to travel through her. "You ready?" Carol swallows and nods, not trusting her voice. "Come on."

"Where's everyone else?"

"Merle headed home an hour ago. Dean left at six, part of his pa... uh, grounding." Carol frowns and gives him a confused look, but Daryl is quick to move on. "Eli just left."

"You said you had six people working here, right?"

"T-Dog and Jesus had the day off."

"T-Dog and Jesus?" Daryl shrugs.

"It's what they like to be called."

"Right." Carol can't help, but smile at home strange the group is, but she stays quiet. Daryl walks her towards a beat up old truck and holds the door open for her. "Thank you." Carol could have sworn she saw Daryl blush, but the night made it hard to tell. She hops up into the truck. Daryl closes the door after her. He hops in and starts the truck up before pulling out of the parking lot.

As they drive down the road Carol feels nerves beginning to fill her. Daryl shifts in his seat and sits back in his seat. Daryl clears his throat and glances over at her. "So, my son seems quite fond of you. He kept going up and seeing you all day."

"He's sweet." Carol smiles as she looks up at him. "He's a good kid." Daryl sighs and leans back in his seat.

"Yeah, don't know what I'd do without him."

"I feel the same way about my daughter, Sophia." Daryl glances over at her.

"Mm, what's she like?"

"Quiet, shy, but she's sweet. She's been through a lot, with my divorce and everything, but she's tougher than she looks." Daryl hums in response. "I didn't see much of your nephew, Dean was it?"

"Um, yeah, Dean." Daryl nods.

"He was kept busy." Daryl frowns before nodding.

"Yeah... There's probably something you should know about Dean." She glances over at him and gives him a curious look. "He's a good kid, he really is, but... But he's like his father. He has a temper and has a love for fighting. He finds himself in trouble a lot, but he is a good kid. He has a good heart."

"What did he do?" Carol asks, already knowing where this is going.

"His brother, Colt, he's only five years old. He's just like his father and Dean. Loves fighting. He got into a fight with a bunch of kids at school, the older brothers apparently weren't too happy. There was two of them, probably in their late teen years. Found Colton walking home, he did it plenty of times before, and they jumped him."

"Oh my god." Carol covers her mouth in shock.

"It was storming that day, so Dean was going to go pick him up, but he was running late, so Colt started walking. He drove down the road and saw the fight. He took it too far."

"He hurt the kids." Daryl nods.

"Dean loves his brother, would do anything for him. Even go to jail for him. He was sentenced for three years, but got out early for good behavior. He's on parol now. Only got out yesterday."

"And those kids..."

"They're alive, but they got hurt pretty bad. I'm telling you this because this town ain't big fans of us. Dixons, we have a long history of finding ourselves in trouble and these people tend to make it worst than it really is. I don't want you working for me and not knowing who we really are and hear things from other people." Carol nods.

"And those kids, did they get into trouble?" Daryl snorts and looks at the road.

"No, why would they?" Carol frowns.

"The justice system isn't fair."

"No, no it isn't."

"That's my house there." She points it out and Daryl pulls up to it. "Thank you, Daryl, for the ride and thank you for today." She smiles at me and he finds himself smiling back.

"Night, Carol."

"Goodnight." She gets out and waves once more before heading inside. Daryl watches her until she's safely inside before pulling out and heading home.


	5. Chapter 5

Eli leans against the wall of the shop as his father worked on unlocking the front door. "So, what do you think of Carol so far?" He asks, causing his father to glance at him.

"She's a hard worker. I half expected her to call it a day way earlier than she did."

"Well, technically she actually didn't stop working until you went to tell her that you were closing up." Eli tells him as his dad unlocks the front door. The two walk inside the shop. Already the shop was hot and it was only six in the morning. Eli took a set of keys from his father and worked on unlocking the shutters to get them open, while his father worked on opening the windows. "She's cute, huh?" Eli says as he opens the first set of shutters.

"I didn't notice." Eli snorts and looks at his dad.

"You didn't notice? She's a redhead."

"So?" Daryl turns to his son with a raised eyebrow.

"So, you have a thing for redheads. Strawberry blondes, auburn, copper, ginger, cherry, doesn't matter. All shades of red hair you like. For Uncle Merle it's blondes, for you it's redheads. Carol is an auburn." Daryl narrows his eyes at his son.

"Your point?" Eli shrugs and moves to the second set of shutters.

"She has pretty eyes. Blue. Like blueberries. I like blueberries." Daryl rolls his eyes.

"I know what you're trying to do Eli. Stop."

"I'm not doing anything, Dad." Eli smiles innocently before lifting the second shutters.

"Elijah." Eli moves to the third and final shutters.

"You missed a window." Daryl glares at his son and continues to open the windows.

"It's not happening, Eli. Women are nothing, but trouble."

"Trust me I know. I'm dating Maggie Greene, the world's most infuriating woman there ever was, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm happy." Eli tells his dad before lifting the shutters. "You know, if you tried I'm sure you'd find your own Maggie. Hell, if given the chance, I think Carol could be your Maggie."

"I like things the way they are, Eli." His dad says as he finishes with the window. Eli moves and begins to turn the lights all on as Daryl started up the stairs to turn the ac upstairs on.

"I get that, I do, but that doesn't change that you're lonely." Daryl frowns and looks at his son. "Don't even lie. You are. You aren't Merle. You don't just fuck girls when you're lonely. It isn't you."

"Eli, just please drop it." His father says in annoyance as he flips the ac on. Eli rolls his eyes and leans against the stairs.

"So, how's Carol getting here?" Daryl glances at his son who smiles innocently up at him. "Maybe you should go pick her up. This heat is already worst than yesterday and it's only six. Carol's coming in at eight, right? You don't want her walking in this heat, do you? She'd probably pass out." Daryl glares at his son knowing that he won.

"Call your cousin and make sure he gets here on time."

"Where you going?"

"To go pick up Carol." Eli grins as he watches his father walk back outside.

"Don't forget protection!" Eli calls, getting a pack of smokes thrown at him. Eli ducks, while laughing.

* * *

Daryl pulls up to Carol's house after stopping at a quick coffee shop because without his straight black coffee in the morning Daryl can't get through the day. When Eli was living with him Eli always made coffee for Daryl. Daryl doesn't know how it's possible, but he manages to even screw up coffee, so without Eli around Daryl is hopeless. Daryl can't cook, can't make coffee, he can't enter the kitchen without running something. Daryl has no idea how Eli became how he is. Eli is one of the best cooks around despite growing up on take out and Mary Kate's Dinner food. Daryl took advantage of Eli's great culinary skills. Eli used to make them breakfast every morning, always had the coffee hot and ready for Daryl right when he came downstairs, he even cleaned up after himself and Daryl.

Daryl didn't know how much he depended on Eli until the kid moved out to live with his girlfriend. Daryl couldn't blame the kid. Eli and Maggie have been together since he was sixteen, of course, he only recently made it known that he and Maggie were together. Maggie was twenty when she and Eli started dating now he's nineteen and she's twenty-three. Despite the age difference, the two make each other happy. Daryl couldn't be happier with Maggie dating his son. She is older than him, but she keeps him out of trouble and makes him more responsible and grown up, while he treats her like a queen like his father taught him, and he does make her happy. The only downside is that Daryl's nineteen-year-old son moves out and Daryl has to go back to living off take out and dinner food.

Daryl takes a deep sip of his coffee, trying to wake himself up before he gets out of the truck and makes his way to Carol's front door. He got breakfast at the dinner too, not wanting to get to Carol's at seven thirty in the morning. He would have brought her something other than coffee, but he didn't know what she liked and he thought it'd be a bit weird. Plus she probably is the type to make her daughter and her breakfast every morning, she seems like the type.

Now, it's eight o'clock and Daryl's hoping it's not too early. They never did say what time Carol should arrive at the shop only what time they close. Daryl knocks on the door and hears the sound of a dog barking. The bark is loud and rough, which tells Daryl it's a large dog, but Daryl grew up with big hunting dogs all his life, so while most would be worried, Daryl was just curious what kind of dog they have. "Shush, Mufasa." Daryl can hear a girl's voice yell before the door opens. A girl about sixteen opens. Daryl can only figure it's Carol's daughter, but she doesn't look much like Carol does. This girl has brown hair, which falls to her mid back, and pretty hazel eyes. "Can I help-" But before she can finish she is pushed to the side and a big Tibetan Mastiff comes bounding out. The dog is very big and comes up to the girl's stomach. It's a beautiful dog with a thick coat, which has been shaved down, but Daryl knows if it wasn't then it'd look like an actual lion. It has a reddish-tan coat color that looks like that of a lion. The name Mufasa is the perfect name for this dog.

"Mufasa, leave him be." The girl says as the dog begins to sniff Daryl. The dog's head is huge and the paws are as big as the palms of Daryl's hands. The girl grabs the thick leather color and yanks, causing the dog to step back, but only because his owner wanted him to. These dogs are stubborn and most of the time only listens to their owners. "Sorry about him, he won't bite." The girl says. "What can I help you with?" She asks, giving him a friendly smile.

"I'm Daryl, I, uh," Daryl could spend hours with dogs, but other humans? He barely could stand to be in the same room nevermind speak to them and that's because talking to people is so much harder, they judge, dogs never judge. "I work with your mom." He says, causing her to nod a knowing look in her eyes.

"Oh, right. What can I do you for?"

"Your mom's car is still in the shop, so I figured I'd give her a ride." Daryl says, trying not to sound like a total dumbass.

"Oh, sure, I'll let her know you're here." Daryl didn't like the way she said that, but before he could question her she heads back inside, leaving the dog behind. Mufasa plops himself on the front step, blocking the doorway, leaving no room for Daryl, a way for the dog to tell Daryl to tread carefully. These dogs could be total pushovers and act like a big puppy, but when it came to their owners they were severely protective. If you cross the line then they'll let you know.

"Don't worry, got no plans on pissing you off or the owners." Daryl tells the dog. The dog eyes him for a moment before sniffing him. When he sniffs him enough and decides whether or not he is okay he then proceeds to give a lick to the hand giving the okay. Daryl pets the dog's head, which seems to get the dog on his side even more.

Both the dog and Daryl look up when they hear footsteps. Carol comes into the doorway and sighs. "Mufasa, go lay down." The dog makes a whining noise as he bumps Daryl's hand, wanting Daryl to keep petting him. "Mufasa." The dog gives a huff and practically pushes Carol out of the way to get inside. Carol rolls her eyes as she looks at the dog. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that he's a dog with the way he acts sometimes." Carol tells Daryl before looking at him. "You didn't have to come all this way to drive me. I could have walked." Daryl glances up at the sun. It's only eight thirty, but already it's eighty degrees out.

"Probably not the best idea with how hot it's already is." Daryl tells her.

"Still, I don't want you wasting your gas-"

"I was coming this way anyway." He tells her. "Can't function without coffee." He shrugs.

"You don't make it at home?" She questions, causing him to chuckle.

"Not unless I don't want to get sick." Carol raises an eyebrow. "Trust me you want me nowhere near a kitchen.'

"Noted." Carol says. "Just give me a minute and I'll be right out."

"Sure, take your time. Better than being back at the garage, it's like a sauna in there." Carol smiles.

"Yeah, Eli says about the same thing." Carol tells him. "I'll just be a minute." While she finishes getting ready Daryl heads back to his truck to drink his coffee, already feeling the tiredness creeping back in. Daryl wasn't a morning person, but he got up early despite that. How Daryl stays awake the entire morning is beyond him.

Carol doesn't take long like promise and soon she's in his truck and the two are heading for another day at work.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hey, guys, so this coming Sunday me and a group of my fellow writer friends are going on a trip for the fourth of July. We'll be camping up in Vermont where there isn't much wifi or cell service, so I won't be able to really update any of my stories from Sunday to Wednesday. I'll try and update as much as I can before then but just know for those days I'll be MIA to all reviews, private messages, and updating. Hope you understand. :)

* * *

Daryl and Carol arrive at the garage a little after nine to find Dean and Eli out front. Eli and Dean were fighting over the hose, but it looked like Eli had sprayed Dean awhile before Dean even got close enough to grab the hose. Dean was shirtless, again, with only a pair of completely soaked jeans, while Eli's t-shirt was wet and sticking to him and his jeans were damp. Carol laughs as the two get out of the truck and head over to the fighting boys. "Give me the damn house, Elijah, you little bastard!" Dean yells as Eli laughs, getting Dean's hands off the hose and spraying him some more. "You cock sucking bastard!" Dean shouts. "You're so dead." Dean lunges at Eli, causing them both to fall to the ground. Dean pins Eli to the ground and grabs the hose, spraying him in the face, causing both boys to laugh.

"Dean!" All laughter stops as they hear Merle bellow. Dean lifts his head, the smile gone from his face. "What did I tell you, boy?" Dean frowns as Eli lifts himself up.

"Uncle Merle, we were just-"

"You come to work and get right to work."

"Come on, dad, we were just having-

"You're not here to have fun, Dean. Get to work!"

"Dad-"

"Now, Dean!" Dean huffs and gets off Eli, glaring at his father. "Don't you give me that look. Get to work now Dean Samuel Dixon, before I kick your ass into gear." Dean stomps off into the garage without another word, his wet jeans still sticking to him.

"Uncle Merle-" Daryl gives Eli a silencing look, causing Eli to lower his head. Merle shakes his head and storms inside the garage to get some work done. Daryl and Carol walk over to Eli, who's still sitting on the ground in a puddle of water.

"Come on, kid." Daryl holds out a hand, which Eli takes, and helps him to his feet.

"We're just goofing off, dad. It's fucken hot in there. We just took a minute to cool off."

"I know, just get back to work." Daryl says, ruffling his son's wet hair. Eli sighs before doing as his father said and heading back inside to work.

"He didn't have to be so hard on him." Carol says, speaking like the sweet mother she is. Daryl glances at her before looking at the very angry Dean.

"Merle made a lot of mistakes when he was Dean's age. He regrets them all, except for the one that got him Dean. He doesn't want Dean making the same mistakes as him. He thinks if he's hard on him enough then Dean won't continue in Merle's mistakes. He's only being this hard on him because he cares about his son." Daryl says before motioning up the stairs. "Everything's already upstairs." It was a hint for Carol to drop the subject and just get to work, which she accepted.

"Thanks." Carol smiles before heading up the stairs. She can hear Daryl and Merle talking quietly below the stairs, but she ignores it as she walks into the office.

"I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with that kid." Merle grumbles, still angry at his son's behavior. Daryl sighs as he leans against the railing beside his brother, the two watching the very ticked off boy.

"Will was never the parent he should have been, Merle. You're a good dad." Merle glances over at Daryl with doubt in his eyes.

"Sometimes I'm not so sure."

"Merle-"

"The kid's been in jail three times now, Daryl. How can I be a good father with that on my conscious."

"Think of it this way, Merle. The first time he went in he was defending his best friend. Eli's tough, but he couldn't take on three guys, so Dean did. Dean went overboard like he does every time he fights, but he was doing it to defend his cousin. The second time was his fault, I will admit that, but he had a good reason. His mom was in town, Merle, you know how he gets when he sees her. So he got drunk and totaled his car, but it could have been worst and for worst reasons." Daryl glances at Merle to see him listening. "This time he was defending his little brother, Merle. Dean has a good heart and the mistakes he does he does for others, minus the second time. He's a good kid, Merle, he just has a temper problem that needs to be handled. He is just like you, Merle, but he'll turn out even better because he has you for a father, not Will." Merle sighs and looks at his son. Dean might think Merle is hard on him, but Daryl remembers when Merle got the call the second time. Daryl had never seen such fear in his brother's eyes until the moment he heard his son was in an accident. Merle loves his son, it's just hard for him to show it. "Go talk to him, Merle. He won't learn if you only are tough on him." Merle looks at Daryl before looking at Dean. Merle might only see the anger coming from Dean, but Daryl sees more. He sees just how upset Dean is over Merle being mad at him. Dean looks up to his father and he has always hated being on his dad's badside.

Merle gives a nod before making his way over to the boy, who was working hard on the Grimes' car, sweating already dripping down him. "Hey, buddy." Dean's head snaps up, not expecting the nickname, which he hasn't heard since he got out. "How about you go up and get some dry clothes on. Those jeans will start to chaft and it won't be fun working with that."

"I thought work wasn't supposed to be fun." Dean can't help, but spit out. Merle sighs and leans against the car, his side to Dean.

"Dean, I let the first two times go because you were still under eighteen and it wouldn't be on your record, but Dean, you're twenty one and you have time now on your record. That shit stays with you." Dean frowns before moving and leaning against the car beside his father.

"Would you have rather me let those bastards beat Colt up?"

"You know I wouldn't." Merle glances at Dean. "But you should have stopped. If you had stopped you wouldn't have ended up where you are now. There was witnesses around that could have given more positive information if you had stopped." Dean sighs and stuffs his hands into his pocket before making a face and taking them out.

"I can't help it, dad. I just..." Dean sighs, running a hand through his hair. "When I get angry I just see red. I can't stop until I get it all out. When I saw those guys on Colt I just... I lost it." Merle bumps Dean's side.

"How about we make a deal?" Dean raises an eyebrow.

"A deal?"

"Yeah, a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"You promise to get into no more fights until you get a hold of that temper of yours and I'll.. I'll go easy on you, okay?" Dean raises a challenging eyebrow.

"Easy as in after work-"

"Easy as in I won't be barking at you to get your lazy ass to work." Merle snaps, knowing already what Dean was trying to do.

"Seriously? But dad, this weekend is-"

"Dean, you just got out of prison, there is no way in hell I'm letting you go to some party, which by the way you can't even drink or smoke at. No drugs or alcohol, remember? You're on probation, Dean not some field trip." Dean huffs and crosses his arms. "Don't guilt trip me, boy, you got yourself into this mess." Dean shot a glare at his father. "Don't go giving me that look." Merle snaps.

"Why the fuck you even coming over here anyway if you're just going to continue barking at me like some prairie dog. I got work to fucken do."

"Hey, watch the fucken language." Dean glares at Merle.

"Sorry learned from the best. I only have you to thank, dad." He snaps, causing Merle to glare at his son.

"Hey, you watch that attitude, boy, don't forget who fucken raised you. I could have ditched you like the bitch of your mother did, but I stayed, didn't I? I stayed and fucken raised you." Pain flashes through Dean's eyes before being replaced by anger.

"Yeah and I'm twenty one years old dad, which means you don't have to feel guilted into raising anymore. I can be on my own now." He says. "So, don't worry, you don't have to feel like you have to take care of me anymore. You can ditch me anytime you want." Dean started for the doors.

"Dean, where the fuck you going?!"

"Away from you!" Dean yells. "How about you join Marcy in fuckland! Because right now I could give less than a fuck if you stay or not. At least if you left I wouldn't have deal with you anymore." Dean knew it was harsh, but right now he was hurt and angry and wanted nothing to do with his dad. Dean storms out of the garage, past a confused Daryl, and hops into his truck, speeding out of the parking lot like the devil himself was chasing him.

"What the fuck did you say?" Daryl asks as he looks at the shocked and equally hurt Merle.

"I..." Merle doesn't know what to say. He feels sick.


	7. Chapter 7

Dean sits against the tree drinking straight from the whiskey bottle. "Your dad is so going to kill me."

"Relax Mags, I won't tell." Dean grins as he looks up at his cousin's girlfriend.

"So, you want to talk about what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Dean, you stormed up here demanding something to drink and you look pissed as hell."

"Uh no, I look drunk as hell." Dean grins, causing Maggie to sigh.

"Dean, you know I care about you." Maggie moves and sits beside him. "What happened?" Dean's grin falls as he pulls a leg up to his chest, resting his chin on his knee.

"Just dad being an asshole like usual."

"He's a Dixon, hun, they're all assholes." Dean smiles, but it's force.

"Not little Eli."

"Are you kidding?" Maggie laughs. "There is plenty of times Eli is an asshole. Did he ever tell you about the fights we get into?"

"You two fight?" Dean gives her a doubtful look.

"Of course we do, Dean, all couples fight. Except, I doubt most fights end with me throwing a bottle at his head and him calling me a cock sucking whore." Dean's eyes widen.

"What the hell did you do?" Maggie laughs.

"Right because it's always the women's fault."

"Okay, but seriously, what was the fight about?" Maggie smiles and takes the bottle from Dean.

"Well, Eli, the innocent sweet Eli that you know, came home and was in a foul mood over something. I, being the great girlfriend that I am, tried to make him forget what happened and cheer him up, but when you Dixons get in a mood then you stay in the mood. Let's just say Eli wasn't in the mood for me cheering him up. He started being an asshole to me because somebody else pissed him off. It ended up with me throwing a bottle at his head and calling him an asshole. I also kicked him out of the house. I think he ended up sleeping at his dad's house that night."

"Yeah, well, I can't exactly sleep over at my dad's when I'm mad right now."

"Look, Dean, whatever happened can be fixed, I promise." Dean shakes his head and takes back the bottle.

"Not this time, Mags, this time he went too far."

"What did he say?"

"Brought up Marcy and her ditching me."

"Oh, Dean-"

"Told him if he felt that guilted into taking care of me then he could stop because I didn't need him anymore."

"Dean, you know that he loves you." Dean snorts at that.

"Merle Dixon is incapable of love, Mags."

"That's not true, Dean."

"Growing up Eli had a father who told him that he loved him. A father that tucked him in at night and checked the closets and under the bed for monsters. He had a father who comforted him when he got hurt. **I** had a father who spent the first three years of my life drunk and high. After that whenever I got hurt he told me to stop being a pussy and walk it off. If I was scared of monsters in the dark then he took my lightbulbs and nightlight and told me to grow some balls and get over it. He never told me he loved me, never comforted me, never tuck me in at night. Merle Dixon never did anything like that."

"He's just different than Daryl, Dean. I mean Daryl spent ten years with Will Dixon, Merle spent eighteen. He had to have been a little fucked up by him." Dean glares down at the ground.

"Or ended up just like him."

"Don't." Maggie says. "Don't say that, Dean. Merle is good to you. He doesn't hit you like Will did, he doesn't treat you like shit-"

"The only difference between Will Dixon and Merle Dixons is that Merle doesn't hit me, but at least Will knew what he was doing." Maggie stares at the kid beside her, who was fighting to keep control of his emotions.

"Dean, Merle loves you. It's just hard for him to show it and I know Merle is tough on you, but that's the only way he knows to be." Dean doesn't say anything. "Come here." Maggie pulls Dean into her arms, causing him to wrap her in his arms and bury his face in her neck. At this moment he wasn't some tough Dixon, but the vulnerable little boy that Maggie was the only one allowed to see. Maggie and Dean had gone to school together and Maggie was the only girl Deal didn't try to get into bed with him but instead took to like a cat to milk. Maggie was the big sister Dean never had an that allowed her to see him like this. "It'll be okay, Dean, things will be better tomorrow. How about you come inside and I'll make you your favorite." Dean smiles and pulls away.

"Thanks, Mags."

"Anytime."

* * *

Eli kept looking at the doors as if expecting Dean to walk in, a big grin on his face, and say some stupid joke, but so far Dean hasn't come back. Eli doesn't know what Merle said, but whatever he said had crossed some line because Dean never stayed this mad for this long at his dad. Merle and Daryl have been talking in the break room for hours now, but Eli isn't sure it's doing any good because he heard them fighting only a few minutes ago.

It was getting late too and he knew Carol must not be too comfortable in that office and hearing those two fighting down a ways. Eli looks around the garage before gathering his things and making his way up to the office. As he walks in he sees Carol trying and failing to ignore the fighting and focusing on her work, which isn't nearly done as much as yesterday it was, which told Eli that she hasn't been able to focus as much. "Hey, Carol." She glances over at him and gives him a sympathetic smile. She must have saw the worry in Eli's eyes. Merle and Daryl faught at times, but never like this and the same can be said about Dean and Merle. "Do you want a ride home? I don't know how long those two will be."

"Uh, sure, but shouldn't we tell your dad we're leaving?"

"Not unless you want to be accidentally hit with something. Dixons throw things when they're mad." Eli tells her.

"Right, nevermind then." Eli grins and motions for her to go ahead of him. The two walk down the stairs, ignoring the fighting just upstairs and they head out to the parking lot. "Do you think Dean's okay?"

"Knowing Dean he's probably at my house eating all my food and stealing my girlfriend." Carol glances at Eli in surprise. "Maggie is Dean's best friend other than me. I mean, I've known Dean my whole life, but it's always Maggie that he goes to when he's upset. I think he just doesn't want anyone to see him upset, except Maggie of course. Hell, she has seen more upset Dixons than even Dixons have." Eli opens the door for her.

"Maggie's your girlfriend?"

"Yup for three years now."

"Wow, congradulations." Eli grins and closes the door before walking around the other side and hoping in.

"Thanks, maybe you can meet her. Tomorrow is the weekend and the Greenes have this huge party every year. A big celebration to say that everyone got through the school year. Today is the last day for the middle school now, so no more school until August. You want to come?"

"Will it be just kids?"

"No, the entire community shows up, at least the ones that us Dixons and Greenes like. The Greenes are a lot more well liked and respected than us Dixons, but the Greenes don't respect or liked many simply for the reason that no one treats us the same as them. The Greenes really care about us and they think anybody who doesn't give us a chance isn't worth their time. So really half the community or so will be there. You can bring your daughter if you want. I'm sure her and Maggie will become great friends."

"I'll think about it." Eli shrugs.

"Okay, I'll let Mags know that I invited you, but be warned that if you say no Maggie will personally hunt you down for an introduction. She's big on welcoming people." Carol smiles at Eli.

"She sounds like a really good person." Eli smiles, obvious love on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, she's amazing." Carol can remember be that young, feeling such strong feelings. It's nice to see it on Eli's face and she can only hope his relationship ends better than hers did.

"So how old is Maggie?" Eli shifts in his seat, obviously uncomfortable about the question.

"Twenty-four." Eli answers. She's five years older, but Carol doesn't see the problem with that.

"I always say that age is just a number when it comes to love." Eli smiles at Carol, obviously pleased with her answer. She can only imagine how many negative things he heard over the years for dating a girl five years older than him. "So you two went to school together?"

"Not exactly. When I went into kindergarten she was already a year away from getting out of middle school and when I went there she went into junior high and when I got there she had graduated from high school. Dean was the one who went to school with her. He's three years younger than her, but they're close. She's like a big sister to him. I remember when he had first met her. He came home from school with a big smile and told me how some girl punched a kid because he was throwing pencils at Dean." Carol smiles at the story. "Maggie has always looked out for Dean and god knows that he needs her to. I met her through him and it didn't take long for the Greenes to come to like us Dixons."

"When did you start liking her?" Eli blushes and shifts in his seat again.

"Uh, well, um..." Carol fights back a smile as she sees how embarrassed Eli is. "I kind of started like her when I was seven, she was twelve. She hit puberty early and us Dixons... we age faster mentally." Carol can't help but laugh. "Anyways, I had this huge crush on her ever since. Hell, she was even my babysitter at one point. It's kind of stupid. Me having this puppy love for her for like nine years, but somewhere down the line Maggie started seeing me as more than just Dean's little cousin. It probably helped that the year we started dating I had been working more with my dad in the shop, which of course got me some muscles, so that I wasn't just some scrawny kid anymore." Carol smiles as she looks at Eli. "A lot of people think we're not going to work. I mean I was sixteen when I started to date her and she was twenty-one. No one knew we were dating until I turned eighteen because we knew what people were going to say. We've been living with each other since I turned eighteen and she won't say it, but I know she doesn't like hearing what people say about us."

"It's none of their business. Why does it matter how much older she is if you love her?" Eli smiles as he looks at Carol.

"And see this is why I like you. You don't judge people like half this town does. Your daughter's lucky to have you." Carol knows better than to question him about his own mother, so she changes the subject.

"That's me there. Do you want to come in and eat. You must be hungry afterall neither of us wanted a break with..."

"Yeah." Eli nods. "But I probably shouldn't. Maggie gets mad when I come home full. Says as a girlfriend it's her duty to feed me." Eli says as he rolls his eyes. "I'm seriously starting to think she's dropping hints for me to just marry her already." Carol laughs.

"Well why don't you? I mean you've been dating for three years."

"Yeah, but everyone has only known for a year and I don't want her family or mine getting upset. When Maggie and I told everyone my family was all for not letting it continue. They thought she was too old for me, while her family thought I was too young for her. Her family loves me like mine loves her, but I think some of them are still hoping we break up."

"Eli, if you love her then ask her to marry you. You shouldn't worry about your families because it isn't about them, it's about the two of you." Carol tells him. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to, but if you want to marry her then who can stop you and who would want to? It's obvious you care about her." Eli smiles and looks at Carol.

"Thanks, Carol. Really, I appreciate it. I'll see you later. Oh, wait." Eli takes out his phone and hands it to her. "Put your number in and I'll call you later to see if you decided on whether or not you want to go to the party."

"Okay, thanks." Eli nods with a smile as he takes the phone back and puts it on his dash.

"Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow."

"We'll see. Tell your girlfriend I said hello and that she's very lucky to have you." Eli blushes before mumbling an embarrassed thank you.

Carol makes her way inside as Eli's phone goes off. _'Finally got Dean sleeping. He's_ okay, _but totally passed out drunk. Won't be able to sleep tonight. Have to keep an eye on him.'_ Maggie texted, causing Eli to sigh.

 _'Okay, baby. I'm heading home now. Please tell me you have food ready. I'm starving.'_

 _'What kind of girlfriend wouldn't I be if I didn't have food ready for you?'_

 _'I love you, Maggie.'_ Eli didn't say I love you as much as he should, so he wasn't surprised that it took Maggie a minute to text back.

 _'I love you too, Eli. You okay?'_

 _'Yeah, just had a fun talk with dad's new crush. Hey, when I get home can we talk for a bit? There's something I want to ask you.'_

 _'Uh, sure. You sure you're okay?'_ Eli smiles as he looks at his glove compartment.

 _'Yeah, Mags, I'm fine. I'll see you in a bit. Love you.'_


	8. Chapter 8

Eli has been sitting in the driveway for a long time. Maggie was beginning to worry that something really was wrong. She stood staring out the window for the past ten minutes, waiting for him to come inside alright. The truck was off and dark, so she couldn't make anything out, but he's been sitting in there for a very long time. Finally, Maggie spots the lights go on in the truck and Eli hop out of it. She moves away from the window and goes and gets his food ready for him. She had to keep it all in the oven on the burners to keep it warm. She piles the food onto the plate, putting more than usual on it because she knows Eli is very hungry if he texted her to tell her beforehand. Normally he only does that if he hadn't eaten much.

"Hey, Mags, I'm home." She hears him call as she puts the plate on the dining room table and goes to get him a cold beer to drink. He's underage, but she always buys it for him. She knows he's responsible enough to drink, after all she has been drinking since she was fifteen and she's doing fine.

"In here, baby." Maggie calls. She can hear the clunk of his boots coming off and the nearly silent sound of his socked covered feet across the wood floors.

"Hey, how was your day?" He asks as he kisses her.

"Okay. The dinner was closed today for repairs and daddy didn't need me up at the farm, so I finally got to cleaning this place like I've been wanting to."

"Yeah, I've noticed you vacuumed." He says as he looks around the spotless kitchen.

"I would have done it before-"

"Hey, I'm not saying anything negative. We've both been busy with this overtime." Eli cuts in before she can defensive. "I'm just saying it looks nice in here and I'm glad you got time off work, but baby you should take time to relax." He says as he kisses her. "This is, what, your first day off in over a month?"

"I just want to have the extra money in the savings, Eli."

"I know, but I don't want you working yourself to death either. I mean you work mornings and noons at the diner and afternoons and nights at your dad's. You need to take a minute to breathe." He tells her as he gives her another tender kiss.

"How did I get so lucky to have you?" Eli smiles and kisses her forehead before moving to the dining room table.

"That reminds me, so dad's latest crush, I drove her home because dad and Uncle Merle were fighting over what happened with Dean."

"Yeah, Dean told me what happened while I made him something to eat."

"Yeah, I don't really know what happened, but I'm sure Dean will tell me when he's ready." Eli tells her as he takes a sip of his beer and taking a fork full of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"So, you were saying about driving your dad's crush home."

"Mm?" He swallows his food. "Oh, right, sorry, I'm starving. Carol and I didn't want to take a break today because dad and Uncle Merle were in the breakroom fighting."

"Take your time." Maggie smiles, her worry for him growing. "You should really take better care of yourself though, Eli. You're skin and bones and I don't want you starving yourself."

"What is with you Greenes and thinking if we're not overweight then you're not feeding us enough." Maggie grins and kisses Eli.

"I just worry."

"Mhm." Eli takes another moment to eat his steak and some greenbeans. "Anyways, so I drove her home and I invited her to the party tomorrow, hope you don't mind."

"The more the merrier." Maggie smiles. Eli takes a big gulp of his beer before continuing.

"I think you'd like Carol, she's really awesome."

"That's good. I want someone awesome looking after my baby." Eli rolls his eyes and takes another fork full of food.

"Mm, yeah-"

"Swallow before talking. You don't have to rush, Eli, remember I'm staying up to watch Dean anyways."

"Sorry." Eli smiles before continuing. "Carol is really cool, though. So, dad told her about Dean and apparently she is more upset with the fact that the other kids didn't get in trouble than she is about Dean having been in jail."

"Hm, liking her already. Not a judgmental person then?"

"Not at all. She, um..." Eli frowns for a moment. "I mentioned you to her and she asked a bit about you and I."

"As in?" Maggie didn't like when people asked about her and Eli and he knew that. She was happily in love with him and doesn't need everyone judging them into breaking up.

"She says that age is just a number when you love someone." Maggie smiles and takes Eli's unoccupied hand.

"She sounds really nice." Eli nods.

"Yeah when I dropped her off she told me to say hi to you and that you're lucky to have me, but I think she got it wrong." Maggie frowns and squeezes his hand.

"No she didn't. I am very lucky to have you." Eli looks over at her and smiles.

"Maybe, but I know that I'm lucky to have had a chance with you." Maggie blushes and smiles.

"I love you."

"Love you too." He kisses the top of her hand before taking another long sip of his beer. "Which brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about."

"What?" She asks, her nerves shooting back up as she remembers how off he's been tonight.

"I just..." Eli frowns as if trying to think about what he wanted to say. "Since we've started dating we've been doing what everyone wants us to do."

"That's not true-"

"Maggie." She falls silent and nods for him to continue. "We've kept our relationship secret for two years for me to turn eighteen so that we didn't have to worry about people trying to break us up or judge us, but we're still being judged and you can't tell me that it doesn't affect our relationship."

"What are you saying, Eli?"

"Just, let me talk, Maggie, please." She nods, so he continues. "You and I barely go out together because we hate the staring and the whispering. We are always cautious with what we do in front of our families because we know they think we're too old or young for each other. I'm tired of us restraining ourselves for our family and for this town. I want to go out to dinner with you without worrying about people talking about us. I want to be able to kiss you without worrying that our families are unhappy. I want us to be happy." She stares down at the table, trying to find her words.

"I am happy, Eli." She whispers. "As long with you I'm happy." Eli smiles and nods.

"So am I, which is why I'm saying that I want us to stop holding backstop doing what others want us to." He lets go of her hand and moves beside her. "I love you, Maggie, more than anything in the world and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't care what your family or mine has to say about it. All I care about is what you have to say to it." He says as he kneels down, pulling out the box from his pocket. Maggie's eyes widen when he opens it up to reveal a beautiful diamond inside. It wasn't any small diamond either. It was a good side and the band had three diamonds going down it on either side. The diamond itself was in the shape of a rose, her favorite flower.

"Oh, Eli..."

"What do you say, Maggie? You want to listen to other people and say what you want?" He asks. "Don't let our families make this decision for you. I'll accept whatever you have to say as long as it's you who means the words." Tears rolled down Maggie's cheek as she nods, unable to speak without breaking down. "Maggie, I rather you say it."

"Yes." She chokes out. "Yes, Eli, I'll marry you." Eli smiles before slipping the beautiful diamond on her finger and pulling her into his arms. Only when she's in his arms does she break down. She holds onto him crying happily.

"I love you." He whispers as he kisses her temple. "More than anything in the world."

"I love you too." She cries. Eli rubs her back to calm her down as he gently sways with her in his arms. Soon she is hiccuping from being worked up, but she's no longer crying.

"What's with all the noise?" They pull apart to see a very out of it Dean walking in. "Shit, did you two finally allow people to break you up?" Dean asks, coming more awake as he saw how a mess Maggie is. Maggie laughs and buries her face in Eli's chest.

"No, we're still together, Dean." Eli tells him.

"Then why is she crying? Please tell me no one died."

"Oh for crying out loud, Dean, I'm happy." Maggie says as she looks at him.

"You're crying because you're happy?" She nods, causing Dean to roll his eyes. "Women are so weird."

"Hey shut it, Dean, you should be nice to your future cousin-in-law." Dean's head snaps back to Maggie as she says that.

"Wait, what?" Maggie, too happy to wait for approval, moves over to Dean and holds her hand out with a big smile. Eli chuckles and leans against the wall as he looks at how happy his girlfriend, correction fiance, is. "Holy shit, that's huge rock. How'd you afford this, Eli?" Maggie's smile is gone as she looks at Eli.

"Eli, how much did this cost you?"

"Hey, now, don't go giving me those big eyes." Eli says as he pulls Maggie back into his arms. "I'm not just going to give you a pebble for your engagment ring." Eli tells her.

"Eli."

"Look, Mags, it's fine okay. I've been working all that overtime so I could get you it."

"Elijah, I don't want you killing yourself with overtime just to get me a ring."

"Marget, shut up and accept it." Maggie huffs and crosses her arms.

"It's a good thing I love you."

"Oh shut up." Eli says before pulling Maggie towards him and kissing her. Maggie tangles her fingers in his hair before kissing him back.

"Okay, I think I'm going to puke. Again." Dean grumbles as they pulled away.

"Shut up." They say together, causing Dean to hold his hands up.

"Alright, jeez, I can't wait to see what your demon spawns will be like." Dean mumbles as he walks out of the room. Eli rolls his eyes and smiles down at Maggie.

"I love you."

"I love you too."


End file.
